Interview Transcript

    As an international student and I came to study in America, I certainly want to learn more about the culture, economy, and education etc. in America. As a result, I will interview some of my American classmates and ask them 11 core questions and several extra questions that I want to know about.
    The first part of the interview is about the preparations.
1. I will choose about 2-3 of my American classmates to interview in this class.
2. I should choose a place for us to meet.
3. I will prepare a new record.
4. I will make a tape about the whole interview.
5. I will choose a perfect period of time for all of us could get together.
  
    The second part of the interview is about the process of the interview. 5.
6. I will ask them about the 11 core questions.
7. I will ask them several extra questions to help me know more about the America.
8. I will take the notes and I will also make the tape at the same time.

    The last part of the interview.
9. I will finish my interview post with my record and the notes that I took.
10. Check the interview that I wrote to ensure that I did not miss any part of the record.
11. Post it on my blog.
   

Reference Sources

Reference Sources

 Different reference sources

•  encyclopedias, dictionaries, handbooks, directories.

Some kinds of reference sources are good for quickly locating factual pieces of information. Such as a population of a country.


Others can help you get an overview on a broad subject. Such as evolution.


On the Reference and Facts page on the Library website you are shown many different ways to research a topic.  They could be compared to other search engines such as Google.


Reference and Facts Page

 

 

Core questions and answers

1.  What could SCSU do to make your stay on campus better?
    As an international student, I have been studying in Saint Cloud State University for almost 7 months. In general, I think this university is very good, especially in terms of the school environment. Because of the fascinating school environment, I could always keep a good mood when I am in the university. Personally, I think the university could establish a relatively bigger store which sells more daily necessaries and more commodities. I live on-campus right now and I don't have a car. It takes a long time for me to buy something. So I think it is better if the university could have a relatively bigger store.

2.  Could you tell me a secret about yourself that very few people here know about and that shows us well, who you are and what you stand for?

     Before I came to America to study business, I had been studying music for almost 12 years. I started to learn a Chinese traditional folk instrument since I was five. Everyday, I spent 3 hours in practicing the instrument due to my parents force. I started to playing the piano since I was in secondary school. I went to an art high school and I put my whole energy on the studying of music. However, one day, I told my parents that I do not want to learn it anymore because I really under a lot of stress of learning that thing and I felt I would be crazy if I do not stop it. Then, I came to America.

     

3. Which country`s food do you like the most? What are the similarities and differences between it and your own culture`s food?

     Personally, I like the British food most. I have been to UK in order to visit a good friend. I tasted the the local desserts and they were so good. The meals are good as well. British food and my own culture's food -- Chinese food are totally different. British food is dedicate and eat custom is complex. Chinese food is not very dedicate. Both of them all tasted very good.

4. What are the typical greetings in your culture and what do they mean?

    When we meet someone for the first time, except say hello to each other, we usually shake hands as greetings to his/her. This way to give greetings to someone is used in many countries. And I think it is a simple way to greet someone. If we meet someone in a formal occasion, hug is a way to show greetings to each other instead of shaking hands sometimes. In daily life, boys will give pats on shoulders to each other when they meet. For girls, we usually give hugs to each other when we meet.

5. What kind of government is in charge of your home country, how did it affect your life and how has democracy in America been a change?

    In my home country,  government is charged by a group of people who almost have unlimited power to people. We can hardly feel the existence of democracy in our life. We almost have no rights to comment on our government. Personally, I think American government is a democratic government. People have their rights to comment on their government. People have their freedom to chasing after their dreams. That is the reason why I come to America.

6. What different modes of transportation are used in your country?

     In America, the most popular mode of transpotation is automobile. Then, in some big cities, people usually take buses or go by subway because of the bad traffic jam. In my country, the most popular mode of transpotation is automobile as well. Because of the huge population, even the subways and buses are full of people, so we would like to go by bikes or on foot. In general, we have even worse situation in big cities than America. For my family, we usually go out by car.

7. At what age do you start school? Are you under a lot of stress in school?

    In my country, most of people start elementary school at the age of six. We always have a lot of homework since we attend the elementary school. And it ends until we go to the university. So we certainly under a lot of stress in school. When I was in high school, we started our classes since 7 a.m. and we finished at 7 p.m. After that, we still had a lot of homework to do when we at home. Sometimes it almost drives me crazy and there is nothing I can do about it.

8. What religious holidays or other cultural events do you or others celebrate; can you explain your traditions for each? 

   In China, the biggest culture event is the Spring Festival. The other important culture events we celebrate are Dragon Boat Festival and Mid-Autumn Festival. During Spring Festival, all the family members gathered together and had a big dinner. For Mid-Autumn Festival, we usually eat a Chinese traditonal dessert called mooncake when we watch the moon. For Dragon Boat Festival, we usually eat dumplings in order to in memory of a great patroit in ancient China.

8b. Do you have any daily rituals in regards to your religious beliefs?

     Acutually, in our daily life we do not have any ritual in regards to religious beliefs for the most of the people in modern China. However, some old people may have the daily rituals. When I lived with an American girl, I saw her family prayed before they had the dinner. Maybe most of the Americans pray everyday. I am not religious so I do not have to have any daily ritual. But my grandparents prays everyday.

9. How would you describe famous sports in your country?

    In my country, there are many famous sports like ping-pong, badminton, football, basket ball, tennis etc. Chinese ping-pong is famous around the world. Many athletes won a lot of international awards. Chinese badminton and tennis are world-famous as well. Everytime I saw some international sports game, I could saw Chinese athelets won the game with a amazing grade. China was the champion of the 2008 Olympics. Personally, I like playing badminton and tennis as well. 

10. Can you describe a typical day for a child in your country?

      Take myself as an example, a typical for me when I was a child, I usually woke up at 7 a.m. in the morning. Then, my parents send me to the elementary school after the breakfast. I arrived at school at 8 a.m. and start the school life until 4.30 p.m. My mother came to school and picked me up. After dinner, I need to finish the homework and practise the piano. Finally, time for bed. I think my childhood is quite simple. So as the other children. We do not have many activities,

    

    

 

Usage of Colons

·         Use a colon to signal the reader that a series of words, phrases, or clauses follows a complete sentence.

The baseball coach claimed that the team's success stemmed from four things: consistent hitting, solid pitching, good fielding, and excellent teamwork

·         Use a colon to signal the reader that a second complete sentence explains a closely related preceding sentence.

The supervisor's remark was straight to the point: I won't tolerate workers who show up late.

·         Use a colon to signal the reader that a name or description follows a complete sentence when you want to put a lot of emphasis on that item.

The preoccupied burglar didn't notice who was standing right behind him: a smiling police officer.

·         Use a colon to introduce a long quotation after a complete sentence.

In his book, Language is Sermonic, rhetorician Richard Weaver described how language may influence us: Sophistications of theory cannot obscure the truth that there are but three ways for language to affect us. It can move us toward what is good; it can move us toward what is evil; or it can, in hypothetical third place, fail to move us at all. (60)

      ·         Colons are also used...

...to separate titles and subtitles:

Richard Nixon: The Tarnished President

·         ...to express time:

The accident occurred at approximately 1:45 p.m. on Tuesday.

·         ...to cite a law or Biblical passage:

According to Minnesota statute 1:49:002, it is unlawful to feed licorice or peanut butter to goats.

·         ...to end a salutation:

Dear Rachel:

·         ...to separate the place of publication and the publisher in a bibliographic entry:

West, Gerald. How to Write Best Sellers. New York: Henry

James Publishing, 1973.

Group5: Education

At what age do you start  school?

·         How many classes did you take when you were in high school?

·         Were teachers very strict to students?

·         Are you under a lot of stress in school?

·         Do most of the adults pursue their higher education in your country

·         What is your current year in school?

·         What is your favorite subject that you enjoy studying?

·         What is your major?

·         When do you plan to graduate?

·         What is the job market like for your major?

Interview Topics

Family:

1. How many kids are there in your family? 
2. Who make the choice when the whole family come across a big event?
3. Do your parents still give you economic support when you are over 18?
4. Were your parents strict to you since you were a child?

Education:

1. At what age do you start to school?
2. Are you under a huge stress of study?
3. How many classes did you take when you were in high school?
4. Were teachers very strict to students?

Religion:

1. How many different religions in your country?
2. Do you worship the prevalent religion of your homeland?
3. Is it possible for you to adopt a foreign religion?
4. Are your parents religious?